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Definition of masterless

masterless

/ˈmæstɚləs/
mas · ter · less
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masterless Lexical Profile

masterless Game Scores & Validity

• adjective

1

Having no master, owner, lord, or employer; not subject to the authority or control of another.

Example

"In feudal Japan, a ronin was a masterless samurai who wandered the countryside seeking new employment."

2

Lacking restraint, discipline, or governance; unruly or ungoverned.

Example

"The shipwrecked sailors soon descended into a masterless mob as their supplies dwindled."

Synonyms
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Antonyms
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• Nearby Words

masterful
masterfully
mastering
masterless
masterly
mastermind
masterpiece

Word Origin & Etymology

First recorded in Middle English, formed from 'master' (ultimately from Latin 'magister', meaning chief or director) and the Old English privative suffix '-leas' ('-less'). Historically, in Tudor and Stuart England, 'masterless men' was a specific legal and social term referring to unemployed vagrants and roaming retainers not bound to a feudal lord or employer.

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Masterless. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/masterless
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